Rail-joint.



G. M. SHEFPBR.

RAIL JOINT. APPLIUATIONVPILED MAR. 18, 1909.

Patented June 29, .1909.

Z SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Q/vi Imaan Umweg.,

G..M. SHEFFER.

' R'AIL JOINT.

49 SHEETS-SHEET z.

vwankoz APPLICATION FILED MAB. 18, 1909. 926,21 5. 'Patented June 29,1909. 9

GEORGE M. SHEFFER, Ul." .ICMLLIN"lOel7 IllN NSYLVAKIA.

RAIL-JDINT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented `Tune 29, 1909.

Application led'March 18, 1909. Serial No. 484.154.

and u'seiul Improvements in Rail-Joints; and

ll hereby declare the i'ollmving7 to Ybe a. full, eleaijv and exactdcserlption ot the invention,

'such as will enable others skilled in the art i,o`

which it appertains te niake and use the saine.

rl`his invention relates to railroad construetion and has specialreference to-a rail joint.

4actors of reference indicate like several views, and:--'Figuro`l is atop "View of a `rail joint constructed in aci-ford ance With this.invention. Fig.' 2 is asideelcva-,

l "farther apart than the @ne object of' the invention is to improve thegeneral'construction ol' rail joints.

A secondlobject oi` the invention is to provide a rail joint which shall.render it nnneeossary to drilllor punch the ends' ol" rails 'for therece ation of bolts.`

A third ojbjeet ofthe invention is to pro vide van-improved rail liointh avia;y a niechanisin arranged to force a pan' ol iish plates intostrong frietional engagement with the web ol a rail.

A fourth object ofthe invention' is to pro-' vide. an improved lockingmeans for suchV a joint.

With the above and other objects inview the invention consists ingeneral oi a pair ol' imperfi'n'ate rail ends, a pair of improved '.fshplates, means fo'riioreing'the `fish plates into strong frictionalengagement with the webs of the rail ends and other means to lock thevarious parts in adjusted position on the rail 'llie inventionfurtherconsists in certain novel details oi' construotion andeonihinationsoof vmits hereinafter lully deserilmd,v illustrate in theaccoinpanyii'ig drawings, andspecifically set forth in the ela-ilus.'

` In the accompanying drawings, like charparts in the plan tion thneof.yFig, 3 is ahoifizontal section of the line 3 3 of Fig. 2, certain of theparts being broken away. Fig-4- is a transverse section through one ofthe rail ends showing?r the joint in end elevation. Fig. .5 is an endView' ol' the chair. l

The reference characters A and B indicato in generalthe ends of a pairof rails each pro'v vided with a web 10,1iead and bas'e'412 and.

spacer l-/i are i l l l these rails may be of any desired forni orproportions as is best adapteifl for the specific use l'or which the),rare iiitendod.

Between the ends of the rail sections is a chair comprising; .acentrali)1 disposed distance block oi the, saine contour asthe head andweb of the rail and this distance block is iin'lieated by the numerali3. This dislaure bloei-i also provided with a spacer 14 olt the saineeoniour as the rail`base and l'ornii'ngv a continuation of the distanceblock proper. lroieeiinf; from either end of the rail base engaging'members 15 which iiiv closely beneath the under side ol the railbase'and the lateral upper portions oi said base, terininalinnA` inspaced relation lo the web ol' the rail. This eonstrnetion is carriedont between the. two pookot members so that the exterior cinn'onr oi'the chair is nniiorni on iis sides and hase with the exception ofnotches lo :irrane d in the base edges lor the reception ol` rail sikes. i); v'nieans ol this construction there is provided a pair ofpockets or slots '17 oi' which, when the chair is in Iposition on therail ends the web laces torni the inside nails -while, the outside wallsare l'ornied by the spaeed sidesol the ehair.

llxtendingIv through eri-eh of the pockets or slots i? is a 'lish--platelia-'ving` one end portion 1S tapered toward its extremity throughout`its length and adapted lo :lit closely against the webs ol" the railsand distance block, and a longer wedge shaped end portion i9 providedwith an inner surface adapted to 'lit closely n jainst the web oi alrail while the outer surface tapers in the direction ol' the innersurfare. l'roni the lue; il() to the point. The lne` il() is designed toreceive blows when driving theI iish-plate into or out of place.

'.lhe vlish-plates vproieet i'or sonic distance on l "members beingforced along said fish-plates more than about one-hall' the listance ofthe 'projecting portion.v

it Willwthus be notedl vwebs of the rails.

that as these clamps are forced along the iish-plates the lattei' willbe drawn together into'sti'oiig frictional engagement with the .lnoi'der to hold the clamps from jarring loose each of these clamps isprovided with a laterally-projectingfarin 23 having a pairof upstandingpoi'- tions 24 provided withl inwardly disposed, oppositely positionedribs 25 and terminal ears having oppositely disposed pertoi'ations 26.lV hat is preferably termed the loch bar comprises a central portion 27upon each side of'which is an end 2S provided with pairs of spacedopposed ribs 29 adapted to lit between the upstanding portions -24 andclosely engage the rib 25.' In order to hold this bar from rising out ofits position ,pins

30 extend through the perforations 26 and `these pins may be el anydesired construetion such as Cotter pins. v

ln the assen'ibhng oi` the device the rail ends ai'e placed in thepockets ot' the chair after the clamping members have been slipped oversaid ends. The iish-plates'are then passed through the slots of thechair with their longer beveled end portions point- -ing in oppositedirections and ai'e driven on i with the desired tightness tohold therails jecting arm having spaced uptui'ncd firmly. rlhe clamps are then'Jforced over the lish-plates until the latter strongly enage the webs ot'the rails when the locking bei lis applied. rlhe cutters ai'e theninscreed and the joint is ready for use.

There has thus been provided a single and highly elicient device ot thecharacter de-l scribed and for the purpose specili'ed.

It is obvious that minor changes' may be made in the forni andproportions of this invcntion without departing from th'e materialprinciples thereof. lt is not therefore desii'ed to confine theinvention to the exact forin herein shown and described, but it iswished to include all such as properly come within the scope of theappended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is:-

1 '1'11 a rail'joint, the combination with al air of rail ends, olc apair ot' iish-plates each iiaving a wedge shaped end, clamping menibersadapted to be forced over said lishplates each provided with alateraltvproportions and a lock bar engaged over said portions andprovided with spaced ribs to hold said clamping members in position. t

2. pair ol imperforate rail'ends, of a 'pair of iinperlorate ish-platescach having Wedge shaped ends, clamping members adapted to be forcedover said fish-plates each provided with a laterally pi'ojecting' arm.having spaced upturned, portions andv a lock barengaged over saidportions and provided with spaced ribs to hold said clamping members inposi- Bi a rail joint, the combination with a' i i i i i j pair ot' buttended rail ends, ol' a chair pi'o- Z vided with i'ail end receivingpockets and a distance block to receive and hold said rail endsiii'spaced relation and having guide slots lornied therethrough, or apair ol' lishplates each having a wedge shaped end cach passingthroughone oil said slots, said ends being positioned in opposite directions,clamping members adapted to be driven over said iish-plates, and meansto h old said clamping members in position. 5. in a rail joint, thecombination with a pair oiA butt ended rail ends, ol' a chair pro.-vidcd with rail end receiving pockets and a distance block to .receiveand hold said rail ends in spaced relation and having guide slotsl'ox'med therethrough, ol a pair ol' fishplates each having a wedgeshaped end each' passingI tln'ough one ol' said slots, clamping .membersadapted to be forced over said lishplatcs each providei'l'with alaterally projecting arm having 'spaced uptin'ned poi'- tions and a lochbar engaged over said portions and provided with spaced ribs to holdsaid clamping members in position.

(5. ln a rail joint, the combination with a pair oi butt ended railends, .ot' a chair prov vided with rail end receiving pockets and adistance block to receive and hold said rail ends inv spaced relationand having guide slots l'ormed therethrough, oll a pair ol"lishplateseach having a wedge shaped end each .passing through one ol' said slots,clampingl members adapted to be driven over said lishvplates eachprovided at its outei' end with a paii" oll spaced upstanding members,and a lock bar provided at each end with pairs oi spaced opposed ribsadapted to engage over' said upstanding members to hold said clamp-.

ing members in position.l

llo

7. ln a rail joint, the combination with a pair ol` butt ended railends, oiI a chair provided with rail end receiving pockets and adistance block to receive and hold said l'ail ends in spaced relationand having guide slots formed therethrough el' a pair ot lishplates eachhaving a wedge shaped end eachv passing through one ol said slots, saidends being positioned in opposite directions, 'clamping members. adaptedto bel driven over said vtishplates each provided at its outer end witha pair ot' spaced upstanding members, and a lock bar provided at eachimperforate lishend with pairs of spaced opposed ribs adapted toengageover said upstanding members to hold said clamping members inposition,

8. In a rail joint7 the combination with a pair of imperforate buttended rail ends, of a chair provided With rail end receiving pockets anda distance block to receive and hold said rail ends in spaced relationand having guide slots formed therethrough, of a pair of imperforateish-plates each having a wedge shaped end each passing through one ofsaid slots, clamping members adapted to be -forced over saidfish-plates, and means to hold said clamping members in position.

9. In a rail joint, the combination with a pair of iinperforate buttended rail ends, of a chair provided With rail end receiving pockets anda distance block toreceive and hold said rail ends in' spaced relationand having guide slots formed therethrough, of a pair oi' lates eachhaving a wedge shaped end each passing through one of said slots, saidends being positioned in opposite directions, clam ing members adaptedto be driven over sais {ish-plates, and means to hold said clampingmembers in position.

10. In a rail joint, the combination with a lpair of imperforate buttended rail ends, of a chair provided with rail end receiving ockets anda distance block to receive an hold said rail ends in spaced relationand having guide slots formed therethrough, of a pair of imperforateish-plates each having a wedge shaped end each passing through one ofsaid slots, clamping members adapted to be forced over said {ish-plates'each provided With a laterally projecting arm having spaced upturnedportions and a lock bar engaged over said ortions andprovided withspaced ribs to ho d said clam ing members in position.

In testimony W iereof, I afiix my signature,

two Witnesses.

GEORGE M. SHEFFER. Witnesses:

` M. T, MILLER,

GEO; H. CHANDLER.

in presence of

